US1890575A - Feed water regulator for boilers and the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1932. M, EHUNGER- 1,890,575

FEED WATER REGULATOR FOR BOILERS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 30, 1929 Marcel Ehlinga l4 Attorney.

Patented Dec. 13 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARCEL EHLINGER, F MULHOUSE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOB T0 SOCIETE AILSACIENNE DE CONSTRUCTION S IVIECANIQUES, 0F MULHOUSE, FRANCE FEED WATER REGULATOR FOR BOILERS AND THE LIKE Application filed September 30, 1929, Serial No. 396,125, and. in France January 17, 1929.

It is usual to maintain the level of water in boilers automatically at a definite height by means of suitable apparatus, utilizing expansion or the displacement of a float located in the boiler, or utilizing some other principle.

WVhenboilers are fed with impure water, it

is necessary to blow down the impurities con tained therein, either continuously or inter mittently, so as to remove part or all of said impurities. i

The arrangement forming the subject of the present invention consists in utilizing the water blown down or discharged continuously from the boiler or the like, for controlling the supply of feed water to said boiler, the arrangement being such that the amount of water blown down will vary as a function of the level of the water in the boiler or the like.

To this end, use is made'of a mixture of water and steam contained in theboiler, the proportions of water and steam varying according to the height of the water level, and this mixture is caused to pass through a throt- '25 tle. In these conditions, the weight of the mixture discharged past the throttle varies accordingly to the proportions of water and steam contained in said mixture. The variable mixture of water and steam may be discharged by means of a tube which opensinto the steam space of the boiler and afi'ords passage to water by means of openings such as holes or slits opening into the water space. The water leaving the throttle acts on a memher which controls in turn the delivery of feed water to the boiler in such manner that this action is a function of the amount of water thus discharged so as to maintain the normal level in the boiler by opening or clos- 40 ing a cock or a by-pass,on the feed water pipe, thus increasing or reducing the delivery of the feed water pump, or the like.

Inone embodiment of the invention, the water thus blown down is caused to flow into 4 a receptacle where it reaches a level which depends on the amount of water blown down from-the boiler. I The variations in this level or the subsequent variations in the weight of the receptacle are utilizedto actuate the feed water controlling member.

Inanotherembodiment of the invention,-

the blow down from theboiler is caused to flow on a movable surface, subjected tothe action of an antagonistic member such as a spring and operatively connected with the feed water controlling member. a

The invention may obviously be applied to heaters or boilers, using a liquid other than water. I

The accompanying drawing illustrates dia. grammatically and by way of example several embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a boiler provided with a feed water regulator according to a first embodiment of the invention. 7 r

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the blowdown tube.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 show various modifications of the device whichis actuated by the blow down.

In Fig. 1, 1 denotes a boiler drum and 2 a tube in communication with the atmosphere and provided with a throttle 3, which may be formed by a reduced section of thetube itself. Tube 2 has a goose neck opening into the steam space of the boiler drum, and whose lower part is provided with a hole 4 of suitable size. i

When the water level in drum 1 is at 5, tube 2 is traversed by a current of saturated dry steam. i -lVhen the water level in the drum is at 6, said tube is traversed by a current of steam,rmixed with a certain amount of water drawn in through the opening 4'. This amount of water depends on the section of said opening and on the difference between the levels 5 and 6. In the first instance, a jet of steam is discharged through the opening 7, while, in the second instance, a jet of water and steam is discharged through said open- 111g? The water discharged at 7 collects in a receptacle 8, having a perforated bottom, or provided with a branch pipe 9. A fioat 10 is supported by the water in receptacles at a level which depends on the amount of water delivered to said receptacle. The movements ofthe'fioat 10 are transmitted in anyconvenient manner to athrottling member 11 adapted to control the supply of feed water to the boiler.

Due to this arrangement it will be seen that the level of the water can be maintained automatically at a certain height above the opening 4.

The receptacle 8 may be provided with a graduated level indicating tube 12 and the scale indicating the level of water in this tube maybe so calibrated as to indicate the level of the water in the boiler.

It may be advantageous that water only should be discharged at the outlet of tube 2 and that the disengagement of the steam be prevented. For this purpose, I may provide a condenser 12 in tube 2. Said condenser may be cooledby the feed water before entering the boiler, or in any other manner.

In Fig. 2, the end of tube 2 within the boiler is provided with a slit 13 in substitution for the hole 4 for the inlet of water into the tube. This slit may be of any suitable shape, so that the amount of water delivered by the tube may be any suitable function of the level of the liquid.

It is preferable that the water which is blown down continuously should come from the lower part of the drum or boiler, which generally contains more impurities than the water at the surface; for this purpose, tube 2 may be surrounded by a much'larger tube 14, open at both ends. This tube will also prevent the fluctuations of the levelof the liquid from having a detrimental effect upon the inflow of water through the slit 13.

' In the form of construction shown in Fig. 3, the water blown down from the boiler, instead of acting on a float, flows into a receptacle 15, whose bottom is provided with an opening 16 and which is suspended from a lever 17 having a balancing spring 18. The receptacle 15 being more or less filled with water has a variable weight, and it is heavier as the weight of water delivered from the outlet 7 is greater. The lever 17 is thustilted to a greater orless extent and acts on the controlling member 11 by any suitable transmission means.

' In Fig. 4 the receptacle 15 is inclined from i the vertical, whereby the leverage from the pivot axis thereof is variable according as said receptacle is more or less filled with water, and this feature may afl'ord certain advantages.

In Fig. 5, the water flowing from the outlet 7 acts on a blade or plate 19, balanced by a counter-weight 20. The plate, impacted by the stream of water and steam, is forced downwards with a greater or less force according to the speed of the stream, thus displacing an actuating member 21, connected with the'controlling member 11. i

In Fig. 6, the-condenser 12. is eliminated,

whereby the water is mixed with steam. In her containing said gaseous medium and exthis case, the mixture is delivered to a tube 22, provided with a partition having an opening or a nozzle 23. The water passes through this opening into a chamber 24:, from which it is discharged through an opening controlled by a float valve 25. The steam escapes through a tube 26 and may be further utilized or condensed. The tube 22 is suspended from a lever29, balanced by a coun-. ter weight 30. The movements of the tube 22 are transmitted to an actuating member 31, connected with controlling member 11.

The tube 22 being movable, the inlet and outlet pipes 27 are made of flexible hoses.

A tube 28, extending through the partition, serves to balance the pressure in the two chambers, in order that the rate of discharge of the water should only be a function of its level.

The invention is not restricted to the constructional forms above described and contemplates broadly the feature of employing variations in the amount of water discharged from a blow down tube for controlling the feed water supply or the like. It is applicable in general to any receptacle enclosing a liquid under pressure, in the presence of its vapour or a gas or both, wherein the level of the liquid should be maintained constant, in particular for stationary or rotary steam generators. It should be understood that, besides theblow down provided for controlling the supply of feed water, a further blow down may be provided at any suitable point of the receptacle.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. In combination: a closed chamber, supply meansfor supplying said chamber with liquid under pressure, blow down means for continuously discharging liquid from said chamber at a rate depending on the liquid level insaid chamber, and controlling means responsive to the rate of discharge of the liquid through said blow down means for controlling said supply means. 7 2. In combination: a closed chamber containing a variable mixture of a liquid phase and a gaseous phase, means for supplying said chamber 'with liquid under pressure, blow down means for continuously discharging liquid from said chamber at a rate depending on the relative proportions of liquid phase and gaseous phase in said chamber, and controlling means responsive to the rate of discharge of the liquid through said blow down means for controlling said supply means. i

3. In combination: a closed chamber containing a liquid and a gaseous medium in variable proportions, means for supplying said chamber with liquid under pressure, a tube opening intothe upper portion of said cham tending through the lower portion thereof containing said liquid, an aperture in the tube portion bathed by said liquid, whereby liquid is forced by said gaseous medium through said tube at a variable rate depending upon the liquid level, and controlling means responsive to the rate of discharge of the liquid through said tube for controlling said supp-1y means.

4. In the combination claimed in claim 2-,

a condenser associated with said blow down means for condensing any portion of the gaseous phase discharged through said blow down means. q

5. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprise a receptacle adapted to receive the liquid discharged from saidblow down means and having an orifice for constantlv discharging liquid from said receptacle at a determined rate, said controlling means being responsive to the weight of liquid in said receptacle for controlling said supply means.

6. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling means includes a movable surface adapted to be impacted by the liquid discharged from said blow down means.

7. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling means includes a receptacle adapted to receive the liquid discharged from said blow down means and having an orifice for constantly discharging liquid from said receptacle at a determined rate, and a graduated liquid level indicating tube for indicating the liquid level in said receptacle and hence in said closed chamber.

8. In the combination claimed in claim 3, a throttle in said tube past said aperture.

9. The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises a receptacle adapted to receive the liquid discharged from said blow down means and having an orifice for constantly discharging liquid from said receptacle at a determined rate and means whereby the leverage of the weight of the liquid in said receptacle will vary according to the liquid level in said receptacle.

10. In combination with a boiler, a feed water regulator comprising blow down means for continuously discharging water from a part of said boiler containing water and steam at a rate depending on the water level in said boiler part, and controlling means responsive to the rate of discharge of the water through said blowdown means adapted to control the water feeding means for said boiler.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

MARCEL EHLINGER.

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